2 Days
later ...
Although
it is already late in the evening, and the sun disappeared behind the
horizon hours ago, it's shining bright outside. The reason is the
excessive illumination of the surounding area. The security measures
of this facility are simply absurd. The fear of industrial espionage
is close to paranoia. Because of the constant illumination, some of
the testers have trouble sleeping, which is why they have preferred
to rent a room Outside the facility. I can not afford such a luxury.
Although, they are also under constant surveillance even outside, so
they couldn't give out any intell
to any outsiders.
Many
of the participants have been invited to the test program in advance.
Alina is one of them. A balanced ratio of men and women from
different asignments, with different social background and different
interests. I am one of the few who came to this program through a
regular application. Apparently, they tried to include the greatest
possible variety of potential audiences to
the test project - with success , as far as i can tell. Cyber-Diving
is strictly prohibited to
children due to the increased risks, so there are only adults in the
testing group.
Overall, we have 22 people, but we were told that the group would
increase many times for the extendet two-month testing period and
that the selection process is already running.
I
wonder how they intend to get us all in the simulation at the same
time, right now there is mearly enough
equipment for the current group.
As
I sluggishly let my thoughts pass, the huge plasma television in
front of me is flickering with the Evening news. Pictures of
destroyed buildings, weeping women and overcrowded hospital tents.
Men in military uniforms digging some debris aside. The sound of the
TV is off, everything is clear
even without it.
Although the tsunami on the Asian South Coast has already passed
several weeks ago, the number of found victims is still rising
rapidly. The UN accuses the Asian sector that the tsunami was the
result of illegal weapons tests, who themselves accuse the Americans
to have used geological
weapons ... [What a mess ...]
I'm
bored ... Whitch is strange. Given by such terror ... [ shouldn't
this touch me somehow? …]
...
I guess I'm just used to that. I see
pictures like that in the news for as long
as i can remember ... sometimes it's a derailed train, once an
illegal chemical weapons test, terrorist attacks, or the victims
after a militant demonstration ... how could a single person apply so
much compassion?
[Impossible
...] If I would show compassion for the whole world, then there wold
be nothing left for those who are close to me.
The
last test in which I participated with Alina, was alredy two days
ago. Since then I had practically nothing to do.
There
are three other people besides me in the sitting room:
“Raul”,
a middle-aged plump man whose parents emigrated from the Middle East,
when he was still a kid. I can not manege to remember his last name.
His profession has something to do with telecommunications and
when
he describes his job, then his work sounds very important. He is qite
convival, but i find it difficult to talk to him about more complex
matters. For me, his life-philosophie is a rddle: He could heggle in
a shop for half an hour, about some trifle, just to push the price
for another fife cent. But he is also willing to give the same little
thing to the nex best person, out of pure kindhearthedness.
Furthermore, he is not a complicated guy - he fell asleep on the
couch half an hour ago.
Than,
there is “Lindsay Rogers”, who is sitting at the coffee table
with her back to the TV, and reading a book. She looks like a
typical, rich, spoiled girl who considers herself to be "too
good for this world." Usually, she wears retro-styled clothes,
which make her look a bit old fashioned, in a verry stylish way. I
also noticed, tha she meticulously paying attantion to details. A
perfectionist. She is cold and repellent to others and acts as if she
is above it all. All the more strange is, that she spends so much
time in the presence of others. She probably just want to be
recognized.
And
lastly, “Samuel Boldwin” alias " Sammy ". A young
expert in the fields of computer, science, and Japanese Hentai
merchendice. A Nerd, as the saying goes. If someone had a question
about the C-D technology, the virtual Vocation Program, or the
U.T.O.P.I.A. System, then there are two people here that you could
ask: Prof. Moldwood, and Sammy. Although I 'm not sure who gets the
latest information earlier. His rebellious nature is clearly
reflected in his look. Its not rare for him to whear t-shirts with
provocative slogens, or generally clothes that dosn't fit the
occasion. Furthermore, he is someone, who wears his heart on the
thung.
They
are Testers, like me. Other Employie are rarely seen in the Part of
the Living Area, that is designated for us, with
the only exception of Prof.
Moldwood.
Suddenly,
an
electric "beep" sound can be heard through
the room. It's
Sammy's pad, the others have their pads currantly not with them. The
pads were given to us at the start of the test phase, its our way to
have access to detailed explanations on the functioning of the tests,
the calendar with all important dates, the memo board and the
in-house mail service. We had to give out our own telecommunications
equipment for safekeeping, before entering the facility. Just so
noone would "accidentaly" leak any relevant information to
the public.
Almost
at the same time “Martha Pires”, who is also one of test
group, enters the room.
Martha:
"where is everyone?"
I
guess the age of the corpulent Women at about
mid-30s , maybe older. The dark skin reveals her Mediterranean
ancestry. She is a mother of two children and a trained nurse. A
home-accident has led to her unemployment and she's here because of
the good paymant, same as me. She shows little interests to the
project itself. She seems balanced and often thoughtful or absent,
but not worried. In terms of clothing, she seems to prefer
compfortability over style, whitch dosn't mean, that she is clothed
poorly. A kind woman.
Nicolas:
"Most of them had an extensive testing period today, i guess
they are relexing now."
Sammy:
"Or, they are still writing on their report."
Sammy
responds while putting his portable game console away and reaching
out for his pad, to check the reason for its beeping.
Martha:
"This late in the
evining?"
Since
there is a conversation emerging,
the flikering of the
TV-screen feels disturbing and i turn it off.
Nicolas:
"The Projekt is in its end phase, the upper bisnes floors are
putting pressure on the developement."
Sammy:
"Even the Prof' seems to be stressed
lately."
To
everyones surprise, Raul aweakens from his slumber, and proclaimed
in a dozy tone:
Raul:
"Hey, i was watching that ...
...
[How in the world did he noticed?] My indignant astonishement must be
cleartly seen on my face, because Sammy, as he turns to me, says with
a mocking gesture:
Sammy:
"He is Telekommunikations-"Spezialist", he must have a
sixth sense for things like that!"
Raul:
"... nnhhh ... What?"
Sammy:
"I said, you drooled while you were sleeping."
Raul:
"... i was not sleeping! ..."
Sammy:
"Then you drooled, while you where “not” sleeping."
Raul
wipes his mouth with a slightly puzled look on his face.
Nicolas:
"Lindsay wiped it away already, she had mercy on you."
Lindsay's
shocked look, and Rauls surprise, wich he expresses with his whole
bodey as he lookes over to her, are priceless. Even
imagining, that she would do something like that, is absurd. [Have i
overdid it? ...] a slight smile flew over Lindsay's face, as sche
turnes back to her book without any further comment. [... No.] She
got the jocke.
Raul:
"...Yea-Yea, just laugh about the old man."
He
said it with facked disapointment.
Sammy:
"There, even the
Ice-Queen is smyling on that ..."
[That
was tactless ...] But Lindsay manages to give him a proper response:
Lindsay:
"Its Ice-"Prinzess", please. I am
to young to be called a “Queen”."
She
is actually older than me, but looks younger.
Martha:
"Mr. Samuel Boldwin, that was not verry nice of you! If you
would be my son, i would have sent you to your room already."
Sammy:
"Oooh – dont be so strickt with me,
Momy!"
This
guy does really have a cheeky gab. But although his jokes often come
at the expense of others, they are mostly harmless, and most people
are fine with it. This evining he maneges to put
on a smile on everyones face. He does have this
ability, to infect other people with his mood. Though,
its pretty unplesent when his mood is bad ...
Generally
im surprised, how well the most of us get along with each other.
After all, we are a motley group of people who
could not be more different. Had the psichologists consider our
charactaristical campatibility during the selection process? [I
wonder ...]
Would
the long-term test strengten this sensitive cohesion, or place it on
a hard ordeal? [Maybe both ...] Well, for now it isn't evin certan,
wich virtual enviroment will be choosen for us. So its
probably to early for speculations.
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